Refining machine



April 4, 1961 E. H. cUMPsToN, JR 2,978,192

REFINING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1, 1957 llm April 4, 1961 Filed March l, 1957 E. H. CUMPSTON, JR

REFINING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j! I jizz/ewa? jme/f- 6 sa, Ji:

REFININ G MACHINE Edward H. cumpston, Jr., Pittsfield, Mass., assigner, by

mesneV assignments, to E. D. Jones Corporation, Pittsfield, Mass., a corporation of Delaware FiledfMar. 1, 1957, Ser. No. 643,368 :4 Claims. (Cl. 241-`222) This invention relates to apparatus for mixing and refining viscous materials and for refining fibrous material such as paper-makingpulp, this being an improvement on the apparatus disclosed in my prior Patent 2,722,163 granted November'l, 1955, and Patent 2,824,500 granted February 5, 1959.

Objects of the invention are to provide a machine which will circulate materialY of high consistency,which requires less circulating power than prior machines of the character referred to, which has a superior control of severity of working action, which does not tend to clog, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which is durable and reliable in use.

As disclosed in the aforesaid patent these machines are characterized by a generally cylindrical chamber having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, a rotor mounted coaxially in the chamber, together with means at one end of the chamber for driving the rotor and means for feeding pulp into the chamber from the inlet, the rotor having peripheral rakes to work the pulp and throw it against the periphery of the chamber in the form of a thin cylindrical layer, the rakes being disposed in close juxtaposition to the periphery of the chamber to dig into the cylindrical layer and cause it to rotate, the periphery of the chamber being unobstructed `to permit rotation of the cylindrical layer so that the centrifugal force of the rotating layer produces lengthwise ow which is directed toward the outlet by the pressure of the incoming pulp. Of course the rakes travell much faster than the layer so as to work through the` material.

According to this invention the periphery of the aforesaid chamber has low ridges extending transversely of the paths of the rakes to break up any mass of material which may tend to build up between successive teeth. Preferably the ridges are disposed in rows extending lengthwise of the chamber with kthe rows spaced apart circumferentially of the chamber and the ridges are inclined relatively to the paths of the rakes to assist the aforesaid flow.

For the purpose of villustration a typical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is aside view of the apparatus with parts broken away and parts in section;

Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the rakes;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 with the rotor omitted;

Fig. S is a side elevation of the rotor with parts in section;

Fig. 6 is a section on line V6 6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. l.

The particular embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration is similar to` that described and claimed in the aforesaid patents in that it has a cylindrical chamber to which pulp is fed by means of a hopper l and a feed screw 2. While the chamber may be approximately uniform in diameter throughout its length, the chamber is divided into sections 3, 4, etc. as in the second aforesaid patent, each section being somewhat larger in diameter than the preceding section. This facilitates flow of the thin layer of pulp through the machine because the back pressure, instead of extending continuously throughout the full length of the machine, extends throughout the length of only one section. After the pulp moves over a shoulder between sections it exertsy pulp around the periphery of the chamber may be controlled more accurately. To prevent backward flow of` pulp in the rst section 3, a shoulder 6 is provided around the inlet. Thus the centrifugal force tending tocause the layer of pulp to flow lengthwise along the periphery of the chamber can only produce flow toward-l the outlet.

In the illustrated embodiment the rotor comprisesiai shaft 7 surrounded by a drum 8 fast to the shaft by discs= 9 welded to the two parts. Surrounding the drum 8 inQ each section of the chamber is a ring 11 whose widthy is approximately equal to the length of the section, each ring being secured to the drum 8 by means of ribs 12 welded to the two parts. As shown at 18 in Fig. 5 the opposing edges of juxtaposed rings 11 are also welded together. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the rings 11 have transverse V-shaped grooves 13 on their outer faces. Mounted on'the rearward faces of these grooves by means of screws 14 are rakes 16 having teeth 17 which are bent rearwardly and which extend into close proximity to the periphery of the cylindrical chamber, designated 4 in Fig. 7. Y

According to the present invention thin bars 19 are mounted on the periphery of the cylindrical chamber in rows extending lengthwise of the chamber in spaced relationship, the bars serving as ridges to break up any mass of material which may tend to build up ahead of a rake. For this purpose they should extend transversely of the paths of the rakes. However instead of extending parallel to the axis of the cylindrical chamber they preferably extend obliquely to the paths of the rakes as shown in Fig. l. When thus spaced they serve not only the aforesaid function but still allow relatively free rotation of the material layer and also assist the flow of material toward the outlet of the machine. The ridges 19 should be low so as not to prevent the rotation of the cylindrical layer of material and the tips of the rakes should extend into close proximity to the ridges. For example the ridges may be of the order of 3716 inch in thickness and the rakes may clear the ridges by approximately 1,46 inch.

As shown in Fig. 4 the outlet end of the cylindrical chamber is entirely open so that the outlet 20 extends out to the periphery of the chamber, thereby to permit the I cylindrical layer of material to flow out of the chamberV without obstruction and fall through the open bottom 21 of the shield 22 (Fig. l).

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this inven- Y tion includes all modifications and equivalents which fall Thus the power required to drive the machine is reduced and the thickness of the layer of 3 of a cylindrical layer, the rakes being spaced from the periphery of the chamber but disposed in juxtaposition to the periphery to drag through the cylindrical layer, reline'it, and causeY it to. rotate',k and successive units of said rakes, lengthwise f the chamber, being spaced apart far enough to drag. through the layer without substantial dragging action on the material midway between the successive rakes, said Voutlet extending around the chamber and outwardly to said periphery so that the cylindrical layer can llow directly through the outlet lengthwise of the chamber, the periphery of the Vchamber being free of obstructions which would prevent rotation of the cylindrical layer so that the centrifugal force of the rotating cylindrical layer produces a lengthwise liow which is directed toward the outlet by the pressure of the incoming material, characterized in that said periphery has ridges' extending transversely ofthe paths or" the rakes to break up anyniass of material which tends to build up ahead of a rake, said ridges being spaced apart circumferentially of the chamber and projecting from said periphery only a small fraction of an inch so as to permit said rotation.

2. A rening machine comprising an approximately cylindrical chamber yhaving an inlet `'at one end and an outlet at the other end, the chamber being substantially imperforated, a rotor mounted coaxially in the chamber, means at one end of the chamber for driving the rotor, and means for feeding material into the chamber from said inlet, the rotor having rakes to throw the material against the periphery of the chamber in the form of a cylindrical layer, the rakes being spaced from the periphery of the chamber but disposed in juxtaposition to the periphery to drag through the cylindrical layer, refine it, and cause it to rotate, and successive rakes lengthwise of the chamber being spaced apart far enough to drag through the layer without substantial dragging action on the material midway between the successive rakes, said outlet extending around the chamber and outwardly to said periphery so that the cylindrical layer flow directly through the outlet lengthwise of the chamber, the periphery of the chamber being free of obstructions which would prevent rotation of the cylindrical layer so that the centrifugal force of the rotating cylindrical layer produces a lengthwise ow which is directed toward the outlet by the pressure of the incomrnaterial, characterized in that said periphery has ridges extending transversely of the paths of the rakes to break up any mass of material which tends to build up ahead of a rake, said ridges being spaced apart circumferentially of the chamber and projecting from said periphery only av small fraction of an inch so as to permit said rotation and being inclined relatively to the paths of the rakes to assist said flow. 1

3. A refining machine comprising an approximately cylindrical chamber having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, the chamber being substantially imperforated, a rotor mounted coaxially in the chamber, means at one end of the chamber for driving the rotor, and means for feeding material into the chamber from said inlet, the rotor having rakes to throw the material against the periphery of the chamber in the form of a cylindrical layer, the rakes being spaced from the periphery of the chamber but disposed in juxtaposition to the periphery to drag through the cylindrical layer, reine it, and cause it to rotate, and successive rakesV .4 lengthwise of the chamber being spaced apart far enough to drag through the layer without substantial dragging action on the material midway between the successive rakes, said outlet extending around the chamber and outwardly to said periphery so that the cylindrical layer can flow directly through the outlet lengthwise of the chamber, the periphery of the chamber being free of obstructions which would prevent rotation of the cylindrical layer so that the centrifugal force of the rotating cylindrical layer produces a lengthwise ow which is directed toward the outletby the pressure of the incoming material, characterized in that said periphery has ridges Y extending transversely of the paths of the rakes to break up any mass of material which tends to build up ahead of a rake, said ridges projecting from said periphery only slightly so as to permit said rotation and being disposed n rows extending lengthwise of the chamber and the rows being spaced apart circumferentially of the chamber.

4. A relining machine comprising an approximately cylindrical chamber having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, the chamber being substantially imperforated, a rotor mounted coaxially in the chamber, means at one end of the chamber for driving the rotor, and means for feeding material into the chamber from said inlet, the rotor having rakes to throw the material against the periphery of the chamber in the form of a' cylindrical layer, the rakes being spaced from the periphery of the chamber but disposed in juxtaposition to the periphery to drag through the cylindrical layer, refine it, and cause it to rotate, and successive rakes lengthwise of the chamber being spaced apart far enough to drag through the layer without substantial dragging action on the material midway between the successive rakes, said outlet extending around the chamber and outwardly to said periphery so that the cylindrical layer can llow directly through the outlet lengthwise of the chamber, the periphery of the chamber being free of obstructions which would prevent rotation of the cylindrical layer so that the centrifugal force of the rotating cylindrical layer produces a lengthwise ow which is directed toward the outlet by the pressure of the incoming material, characterized in that said periphery has ridges extending transversely of the paths of the rakes to break up any mass of material which tends to build up ahead of a rake, said ridges projecting from said periphery only slightly so as to permit said rotation and being disposed in rows extending lengthwise of the chamber and the rows being spaced apart circumferentially of the chamber, and Said ridges being inclined relatively tothe paths of the rakes to assist said tlow.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 620,884 Cadwzan Mar. 14, 1899 1,548,135 Gamble Aug. 4, 1925 2,145,851 Asplund Feb. 7, 1939 2,180,080 Cowles Nov. 14, 1939 2,182,391 Skolnik Dec. 5, 1939 2,717,742 -Weigham et al. Sept. 13, 1955 2,722,163 Cumpston Nov. 1, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,933 Great Britain Ian. 23, 1907 228,399 Germany Nov. 9, 1910 had,... 4, n 

